First Take SA

A Grade 12 learner has been found dead with stab wounds during a school camp at the Ben Hlongwane high school, outside Mokopane in Limpopo. Philemon Nkomo's body was found in the early hours of yesterday morning (Sunday). He had been camping with other learners at the school to prepare for exams. In another incident, a Grade 12 who reportedly left a study camp without permission at Leagathoko Seco...

As the 2023 Online Admissions placement period for Grades 1 and 8 will be ending this Wednesday, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane yesterday outlined the status of learner placements and further interventions to ensure that all learners are placed before the start of the 2023 academic year. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to the National Association of School Governing Bodies Spok...

The elective conference of the ANC's Interim Regional Committee (IRC) has elected its new leadership in the trouble-torn region. The conference nominated members for the top six leadership positions, of which five were uncontested. This is as disgruntled party members in the region, who had convened a parallel conference, have officially elected their own preferred leadership, despite the Free Sta...

Botswana's government is reportedly in rigorous diplomatic negotiations to save the life of drug trafficking accused Botswana national Lesedi Molapisi. The Botswana national was arrested for allegedly flying into Bangladesh with drugs in her possession. Her father was reportedly struggling to obtain information about her circumstances but believes she is alive and awaiting a trial date. For more o...

Labour union COSATU says it supports the wage strike by employees of the South African Post Office. The union says the workers have not received any salary increase for the past two years. The union further says workers are still owed back pay for the last financial year and struggled to access their medical aid services because of the failure of the SOE to contribute to their scheme MEDIPOS. To f...

A new survey has revealed that the ANC stands to lose its majority in the 2024 general elections. Conducted by the think tank, The Brenthurst Foundation, more than three-quarters of the participants indicated their preference for a coalition government to take over from the ANC. The survey revealed that the DA is expected to get a slight increase in the number of votes. Elvis Presslin speaks to El...

Time to take a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, author of  "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back". Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo

The government will today launch the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec. The theme for this year's launch is "Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment to build Women's Resilience against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: Connect, Collaborate, Contract". The 16 Days of activism is a United Nations campaign that takes plac...

Former mayor of the Elias Motsoaledi Municipality, Julia Mathebe, and municipal manager, Minah Maredi appeared before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court yesterday in connection with the VBS saga. The pair were arrested for their alleged role in the illegal investment of public funds in the now-liquidated VBS Mutual Bank. The municipality invested R190 million in VBS between 2014 and...

The Constitutional Court is today expected to hear arguments from Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the DA on whether it should confirm the decision of the high court regarding Mkhwebane's suspension. The court found that Ramaphosa was conflicted when he suspended Mkhwebane because she was investigating his Phala Phala farm theft. The decision will only come into...

The South African Reserve Bank is expected to raise interest rates even further. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to announce its decision on the interest rates later this afternoon. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to UKZN School of Economics Senior Lecturer, Dr. Sanele Gumede

The latest statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele have painted a horrifying picture of violent crimes in South Africa. More than seven thousand people have been murdered between July and September 2022, with over eight hundred more people murdered, compared to the same period last year. More than ten thousand women, men, and children were raped, with the majority of rape survivors being...

Labor analyst Terry Bell says the government can afford a lot more than a 3% wage hike. This is as public service workers continue the strike across all provinces, demanding a 10% wage increase. Speaking to our Senior producer Ronald Phiri, Bell says the government is prolonging wage negotiations to buy time to force workers to accept their 3% wage offer

The Democratic Alliance has given the acting national Commissioner of Correctional Services, Makgothi Thobakgale a deadline of Friday to ensure former President Jacob Zuma returns to prison. The party's lawyers wrote to Thobakgale demanding that Zuma be returned back to Estcourt Correctional Centre to serve out the remainder of his sentence. This follows Monday's ruling by the Supreme Court of App...

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is leading the pack in the race for the party's presidency. President Ramaphosa is way ahead of his opponent, former Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize by 2 037 nominations from branches while 916 branches nominated Mkhize. For political analysis on the latest branch nominations for the top six ANC positions ahead of the party's 55th National Conference, Elvis Presslin...

More than 800 000 public sector servants will embark on an indefinite strike from today. The strike comes after the government unilaterally implemented a 3% wage increase in the public sector. Meanwhile, Public Service Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi has called on the labor unions to return to the negotiation table. To further discuss this Elvis Presslin spoke to Public Servants Association N...

The lawyer representing Janusz Walus has welcomed the Constitutional Court's ruling for Chris Hani's killer to be released on parole within 10 days. Handing down his ruling yesterday Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said Minister Ronald Lamola's decision not to grant Janusz Walus parole was irrational and must be set aside. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Chrispin Phiri, Spokesperson for the M...

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says former President Jacob Zuma will not be going back to prison. This is despite the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein ruling which has ordered that Zuma must return to the Estcourt Correctional Centre to finish serving his sentence. In a unanimous judgment, the Appeals court declared that Zuma did not lawfully complete his prison sentence. The ANC KZN says the for...

Time to take a look at the current top African economic stories with Victor Kgomoeswana, author of  "Africa Is Open For Business" and "Africa Bounces Back". Victor is also the Executive Director for Marketing and Communication at the University of Limpopo

Janusz Walus will today find out if he is staying in jail or being released on parole. Walus approached the Constitutional Court to review Justice Minister Ronald Lamola's 2020 decision not to approve his release on parole. Walus has been serving time in prison for the 1993 murder of SACP leader Chris Hani. To look at the legal prospects of the case Elvis Presslin spoke to Public interest Lawyer,...

The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein will hand down judgment on former President Jacob Zuma's medical parole appeal today. Zuma challenged the decision of the Pretoria High Court to set aside his medical parole. Our senior producer Ronald Phiri spoke to the spokesperson for the Jacob Zuma Foundation Mr. Mzwanele Manyi who is confident that the court will rule in Zuma's favor

The South African National Taxi Council, SANTACO in the Western Cape will embark on a stay-away today and tomorrow. The Taxi Council is protesting against the impoundment of their vehicles and demands the restoration of the Blue Dot taxi program. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to SANTACO Western Cape chairperson Mandla Hermanus

The South African Police Service is investigating a case of culpable homicide after Deputy President David Mabuza's convoy was involved in an accident in Middleburg, Mpumalanga. The accident claimed the life of one of Mabuza's bodyguards, while the second bodyguard was rushed to hospital. Police spokesperson Colonel Athlenda Mathe elaborates...

A petition calling for Pitbulls to be banned has so far garnered more than 100- thousand signatures. The petition was started by the Sizwe Kupelo Foundation following a number of fatal pit bull attacks in the Eastern Cape and the Free State. In the latest reported incident, a three-year-old boy died in Phomolong in the Free State, after he was mauled by two of the dogs. For more on this, Elvis Pre...

Public service unions have joined forces to embark on a National Day of Action next week Tuesday, following the collapse of wage negotiations with the government. The unions say pickets across the country and a march to the offices of the National Treasury in Pretoria will characterize the day. Public service unions say all public servants, including essential service workers, will be mobilized to...